The United States and Caribbean Residential Development Market

For many people, it’s a dream scenario. A custom-built oceanfront home, designed by a leading architect, decorated with bespoke interiors and perched on a sliver of beach inside a private gated community or high-rise condominium.

The home and surroundings have the ambience and facilities of a luxurious vacation resort – gourmet restaurants, a breezy beach club, a dedicated spa and gym, among other upscale amenities – but also feel intimate, personal, exclusive and special.

While family and friends relax, a team of onsite staff operates diligently around the clock, managing security arrangements, pool and garden maintenance and even housekeeping, concierge, private chef and leisure activities.

The home is close to major shops and an airport, but the best part is the innate sense of community, with like- minded neighbors sharing in the undeniable pleasures of coastal living.

This rarefied – but attainable – oceanfront lifestyle is on offer in an array of new and established residential developments from coastal California to South Florida’s Miami Beach and throughout the Caribbean. Here are nine outstanding choices:

REGALIA | SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA

A 46-story tower located at the northern end of Sunny Isles Beach, Regalia features just one condominium per residential floor for a total of 39 expansive and exclusive residences.

Regalia was awarded Best Residential High-Rise Development in Florida at the 2014 International Property Awards, and is setting a new benchmark for other residential communities in the U.S. and offshore.

Each residence, priced from $9 million, offers 5,500 square feet of interior living space and breathtaking ocean views through floor-to-ceiling glass windows and from wraparound terraces.

Regalia’s signature two-level penthouse, featuring a rooftop pool and deck and almost 17,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor living space, is listed at $45 million.

The tower’s residential leisure amenities include a dedicated spa with multiple treatment rooms, yoga and meditation room, an oceanfront Jacuzzi and poolside cabanas. regaliamiami.com

CHRISTOPHE HARBOUR | ST. KITTS

With its tranquil bays, pink-and-black sand beaches and picturesque mountains, St. Kitts is a jewel of the Caribbean. Christophe Harbour, a 2,500-acre resort community on the island’s lush southeast peninsula, offers oceanfront living at its best.

Residential offerings include custom villas, estate sized lots and a collection of turnkey, fractional and existing home plans, with 53 properties currently available priced from $700,000.

Options include four beachfront homes, priced from $3.6 million to $7.9 million, six Beach Walk lots starting from $740,000, and four custom villas with prices starting from just under $3.7 million.

Leisure facilities include a private beach, a harbor and marina village equipped to handle super yachts and a golf course designed by Tom Fazio. The Pavilion, a members-only beach club in the neighborhood of Sandy Bank Bay, has its own beachside cabana bar, pool and waterfront restaurant.

“St. Kitts provides an unbelievable canvas for us to develop an all-encompassing community that is becoming the go-to destination for discerning travelers and investors,” says Christophe Harbour’s CEO Buddy Darby. christopheharbour.com

KUKUI’ULA | KAUAI, HAWAII

Nestled on the south shore of Kauai, the lovely Kukui’ula features ocean-view home sites, plantation-style cottages and bungalows, set in tropical gardens and overlooking one of the most beautiful coastlines in Hawaii.

The exclusive residential community is also adding new three-and four-bedroom villas for rental in 2015, offering indoor-outdoor living spaces and private plunge pools.

“Our down-to-earth island community is attracting individuals and families looking to enjoy the very best of Kauai,” says Kukui’ula’s president Richard Albrecht.

Home sites start in the $800,000 range and are intended for custom, one-of-a-kind homes. The bungalows and cottages range from one to three bedrooms with contemporary interiors.

The development also features a golf course, spa and swimming pools as well as a laid-back Plantation House with its own private beach. kukuiula.com

MUSE | SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA

A boutique residential high-rise perched directly on Sunny Isles Beach, the new Muse offers 68 oceanfront residences and penthouses set in an eye-catching 50-story tower.

Designed by world-renowned architect Carlos Ott, with stylish and contemporary interiors by Antrobus + Ramirez, Muse features two-and three-bedroom units, starting from $4.35 million, as well as stunning full-floor penthouses.

The residences are move-in ready and feature state-of-the-art home technologies, floor-to-ceiling windows framing the panoramic views and expansive terraces with summer kitchens and entertainment systems.

Muse also offers an infinity-edge pool and spa with views to the ocean, a fitness center and spa, poolside food and beverage services, 24/7 concierge service and is an easy drive to the upscale shops and restaurants of Bal Harbour. musesunnyisles.us

ALBANY | THE BAHAMAS

This luxury resort community, founded by the Tavistock Group and golf superstars Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, offers everything from white sand beaches to world-class golfing, dining and a spectacular marina.

Nestled on 600 oceanfront acres in the southwest corner of New Providence – and an easy drive from Nassau’s international airport – Albany is a stylish and sophisticated choice for discerning investors.

Home sites are priced from $1.5 million; custom homes are listed from $7 million, while marina residences and villas start from $4.5 million.

“Albany is fast becoming known as the Monaco of the Caribbean. The lifestyle here is unlike any other in the region, with an unparalleled live, work, play environment,” says Albany’s managing partner Christopher Anand. albanybahamas.com

SAILFISH POINT | HUTCHINSON ISLAND, FLORIDA

Located near the city of Stuart, and lying off Hutchinson Island, Sailfish Point offers a world-class residential community in a relaxed Floridian setting.

The 532-acre island community comprises 520 residences from spacious homes to condominiums, villas and townhomes, many with private boat berths. Sailfish Point residents also have access to a private beach, tennis courts and a clubhouse pool and spa.

Vacant land sites are currently available, priced from $375,000 to $924,000, with existing homes ranging from $749,000.

An eight-bedroom, nine-bath home on SE Dune Drive, for example, offers sweeping water vistas and private ocean access via an elevated boardwalk on the dunes.

The residence, priced at $11.4 million, features a private courtyard entrance, imported Italian stone floors throughout, an oceanfront pool and outdoor entertaining spaces. sailfishpoint.com

THE STRAND AT HEADLANDS | CALIFORNIA

Located at Dana Point, one of the most scenic bluffs on Southern California’s iconic coastline, The Strand at Headlands offers luxury resort-style living in the finest traditions of Orange County.

With 118 home sites surrounded by more than 1.5 miles of shoreline and almost 70 acres of preserved natural space, ocean-view parks and hiking trails, The Strand delivers an outstanding coastal lifestyle.

Current prices for vacant lots range from $3 million to $13 million, and for established homes from $8 million to $18 million. Residents of The Strand enjoy access to an oceanfront beach club with a lounge and bar as well as a pool, spa and gym.

The property is also an easy drive to world-class beach resorts, including The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel and Marriott Laguna Cliffs. strandoc.com

RITZ-CARLTON RESIDENCES MIAMI BEACH | FLORIDA

Designed by the Italian architect Piero Lissoni, this spectacular private residential community is located on Surprise Lake and offers lake, city and ocean views.

The 111 residences and 15 single-family villas, priced from $2 million to $40 million, have state-of-the-art amenities, including a cinema-style screening room, art and music rooms, a fully crewed yacht and 36 private boat dockages.

The community also features an outdoor meditation garden, indoor and outdoor yoga studios, an exclusive spa and an infinity-edge pool with a waterfall, cabanas and restaurant.

“The fusion of Piero Lissoni’s modernist vision with the unrivaled service and legacy of The Ritz-Carlton is a rare offering, unmatched in South Florida,” says Ophir Sternberg, CEO of Lionheart Capital, the Miami-based real estate investment firm behind the development.

“Lissoni’s modern and artistic design creates a com- munity that will change the Miami Beach skyline and how we look at luxury living.” ritzcarltonmiamibeach.com

HARBOR’S EDGE | THE HAMPTONS

Sag Harbor is one of the most beautiful year-round destinations in the Hamptons, with top-notch gourmet restaurants, cafe?s and shopping.

These new luxury condominiums, priced from $2.25 million to $5.75 million, are perched on the waterfront at 21 West Street, a few blocks from Main Street, and comprise 15 two- and three-bedroom properties and three penthouses.

Residents have access to a high-season concierge – perfect for those hard-to-score restaurant reservations when summer hits and the jet-set crowd arrives – as well as a rooftop sundeck with a lap pool, wet bar and outdoor kitchen.

Loft-like rooms feature custom millwork, fireplaces and generous wall space for art. “This is a unique opportunity for buyers in the Hamptons to purchase a waterfront home with the freedom of condominium living and the genuine village lifestyle of Sag Harbor,” says Keith Green of Halstead, the developer of Harbor’s Edge. harborsedge.com

Image Credits: Photo courtesy of Regalia .